The National Youth Orchestra of Scotland

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National Music Awards Ceremony comes to the Capital.

Next week, the Final Awards Performance of the esteemed NYOS Staffa Award comes to Edinburgh. This prestigious award, presented at The Freemason’s Hall on Thursday 28 May, recognizes the talents of the country’s most promising young musicians, supporting them as they embark on their future in music.

Last Years Winner, Fiona Paterson

Cellist, Stjepan Hauser, flautist, Sarah Ouakrat and trumpet player, Philip Cobb will compete in front of a panel of highly regarded judges including Composer, John Maxwell Geddes, Director of Music at St. Mary’s Music School, Francis Cummings and Chief Executive of The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Simon Woods.

Simon Woods, RSNO, said, "The NYOS Staffa Award Final is a very important event in Scotland's music calendar. It is a celebration of the incredibly high level of talent in British music colleges today, and one that will inspire many young people to new heights of musical achievement."

Audiences will have the unique opportunity to hear solo pieces by all the three Staffa finalists, in addition to a performance by last year’s winner, flautist, Fiona Paterson.

A £3000 prize is awarded to the most outstanding student to assist in furthering their career in music performance. The second and third laureates receive £1500 and £1000 respectively.

Finalist, Stjepan Hauser, said, “I am extremely honoured and proud to be the finalist of such a prestigious award and am looking forward to performing on 28th May.”

The award this year takes place as the sparkling opening social event for a major international conference on the History of Freemasonry.

 

The organ in the Freemasons Hall George Street, Edinburgh

Listings Information

NYOS Staffa Award

Supported by The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland.

Thursday 28 May 09, 7.00pm

Freemason’s Hall

George Street

Edinburgh

Tickets: Concert Only £20 - £15 - £8 - Concert & Dinner £45

Box office: 0131 225 5577

Sarah Ouakrat and Stjepan Hauser rehearsing at the Freemasons Hall

NYOS Staffa Award

The NYOS Staffa Award competition has evolved from the LASMO Staffa Music Award.

The LASMO Arts Trust was formed in 1992 with the intention of creating a major annual competition for advanced music students from Conservatoires in the United Kingdom.  Its aim was to identify outstanding performers in all principal music disciplines and assist them towards a professional career.  From its inception, the LASMO Staffa Music Award and Arts Trust was administered by The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland.  

Following the end of LASMO's nine successful years of support, The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (NYOS) felt it very important that such a valuable Award should continue.  Therefore in October 2001 NYOS announced the launch of a new music Award, to be known as the NYOS Staffa Award to succeed the LASMO Staffa Music Award, presented for the final time in May 2001.

The Staffa Award is open to students from eight music Conservatoires in the UK.  The Principals of the Conservatoires are invited to nominate three students for auditions in London before a panel of musicians. Three candidates are then selected to attend the final awards performance.

Stjepan Hauser, Cello – Trinity College of Music

Stjepan Hauser rehearsing at the Freemasons Hall

Although only in his very early twenties, Croatian cellist Stjepan Hauser has already performed in the biggest festivals and venues in Europe including sensational debuts in Wigmore Hall, St. George’s Bristol, St. Martin in the Fields and Pallazzo Vecchio in Florence. As the last student of Maestro Rostropovich he has won 21 first prizes in national and international competition. This young cellist has immensely impressed the most revered artists such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Bernard Greenhouse, Heinrich Schiff, Ralph Kirshbaum, Ivry Gitlis, Rivka Golani and Stephen Kovacevich. He is member of The Greenwich Trio, described by Bernard Greenhouse as the “New Beaux Arts Trio”. Currently he is completing his studies under the guidance of Natalia Pavlutskaya in TCM London.

www.stjepanhauser.com

Sarah Ouakrat, Flute – Royal Academy of Music

Sarah Ouakrat rehearsing at the Freemasons Hall

Sarah Ouakrat (1987) studied flute in Paris with Madeleine Chassang and was awarded a gold medal in 2005.  She then began studying with Philippe Bernold in Lyon, where she graduated with first prize in June 2007.  Sarah is now a postgraduate student of William Bennett at the Royal Academy of Music, London.  She has won numerous competitions and often plays with professional orchestras, in chamber music concerts and recitals.  She currently plays with the Zurich Opera House Orchestra.

Philip Cobb, Trumpet – Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Philip Cobb is establishing himself as an outstanding player on both cornet and trumpet.  As a very young player, Philip showed remarkable promise, regularly featuring as a soloist on programmes in the UK and abroad alongside his brother Matthew and their father Stephen. In more recent years he has appeared as a soloist in his own right, and was recently featured as a solo performer in London’s Royal Albert Hall, as well as at the International Trumpet Guild’s conference in Boston, USA.

He is currently a student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he is taught by the principal trumpet player of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Paul Beniston, and renowned trumpet soloist, Alison Balsom.

Philip took part in the Maurice André International Trumpet Competition in 2006, which is the world’s most prestigious competition for trumpet players, with former prize winners going on to achieve international acclaim as soloists and orchestral players. He was awarded one of the major prizes in the competition as the Most Promising Performer. He was also awarded the ‘Candide Award’ at the London Symphony Orchestra’s Brass Academy in 2008.

As well as his solo work Philip also enjoys orchestral playing and in recent years has featured with many orchestras including The London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra and the European Youth Orchestra.

In September 2007 Philip released his debut solo CD entitled ‘Life Abundant’ with the Cory Band and Ben Horden on Organ.

The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland

13 Somerset Place

Glasgow

G3 7JT

 

T. 0141 332 8311

F. 0141 332 3915

 

E: pauladuncan@nyos.co.uk

 

The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (NYOS) is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland - number 66497 and a registered Scottish charity - number SC015482.

V.A.T. Reg. No. 328 6513 49. NYOS is a member of the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) and we are committed to the highest standards in fundraising.

NYOS Staffa Award 2009 - Final Awards Performance A unique opportunity to hear solo pieces by three of the UK’s most exceptional young musicians, in addition to a performance by last year’s winner flautist Fiona Paterson. Thursday 28 May, 7.00pm, Freemason’s Hall, Edinburgh. Tickets available on 0131 225 5577or click here to download a booking from.

Copyright photographs taken by Andrew Murphy

All copying strictly forbidden in part or whole

Information supplied by National Youth Orchestra of Scotland

 

For further information on concerts click the link below:

The National Youth Orchestra of Scotland

 

CD Release

A new Camerata Scotland CD has just been released, including Haydn's Symphony No. 104 'London' and Beethoven's Symphony No.8. The CD is available on www.nyos.co.uk or by contacting the NYOS office on Telephone:  0141 332 8311. 

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All material contained on this Internet site is the copyright material of Andrew Murphy of the Royal Mile, Edinburgh.   All copying from www.murphysedinburgh.co.uk and www.murphysedinburgh.co.uk in part or whole is strictly forbidden.

e-mail:  murphysedinburgh@btinternet.com

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